British Royal Navy`s River class In 1928 with the removal from service of the K class submarines and the demand for "submarine which, in an ocean war, should be capable of operating with the fleet" led to the development of the River class. These boats were intended for fast reconnaissance and offensive operations in company with the fleet, another attempt to produce a fleet submarine! For what was then a large submarine they were under armed. There size helped, during WW-II, when they were used to run supplies to besieged Malta. These duties were nicknamed the `magic carpet`. Specifications, River class: The River class is a relatively conventional inter World Wars design, ocean going fleet submarine. Base on a double hull configuration, long well streamlined and with out any large guns or any other features. Displacement (srf/sub tons): 2,165/2,680             Dimensions (L*B*D feet): 345`0*28`3*18`3 Propulsion: 2*5,000hp supercharged Admiralty Vickers vertical four-stroke injection 10 cylinders diesel engines, 2*1,250hp electric motors driving two shafts. Speed (srf/sub knots): 22.5/10.5 Range (srf/sub n/miles@knots): 10,000@8/118@4 or 12@10 Diving depth (feet): 300 Complement: 6 officers 54 enlisted Torpedo: 6*21" (533mm) bow torpedo tubes, total of 12 torpedoes Mines: none Armament: 1*4" main deck gun Construction All three vessels of the class were built by Vickers Armstrong the lead of class Thames completed in September 1931 and the slightly larger sister boats Severn and Clyde in 1935. The original intention was to construct 20 submarines of the class for the Royal navy but a change in policy in 1933 prevented it. Back to History Index